Chapter 193: Soul Training

Ye Liuyun memorized every word the Soul Weapon Saint said, one by one, in his heart.

Under the Soul Weapon Saint's guidance, Ye Liuyun arrived before the Red Soul Cave.

The deep, pitch‑black mouth of the cave resembled a gaping Black Python ready to choose a victim and devour it. The soul pressure emanating from the entrance made one's heart race.

Moreover, Ye Liuyun sensed faint threads of Demon Qi leaking from within the cave.

The Soul Weapon Saint, as if knowing his thoughts, explained, "Indeed, a great demon called Red Soul is sealed here, which is why it's called the Red Soul Cave. That's also why it can serve for training and squeezing potential. If you lack the courage to enter, you can still turn back now."

"I won't back down!" Ye Liuyun said without hesitation, resolutely stepping into the cave.

Chu Wanqing nodded with satisfaction and returned to the Grand Hall.

"Mother!" Lin Xueying cooed, "Can Junior Brother Ye come out?"

If Ye Liuyun were there now, his eyes would pop out in shock. The two, master and disciple, are actually mother and daughter.

Chu Wanqing stroked Lin Xueying's head and said confidently, "Don't worry, he should be fine! How could I let the person my daughter cares about go to his death!"

"Mother, what nonsense are you spouting, I'm not listening to you!" Lin Xueying pouted, pretended to be angry, and turned her face aside. In truth she was covering her flushed complexion.

Since returning from the last mishap, Lin Xueying has been thinking of Ye Liuyun, never forgetting his focused expression while refining pills. She has long wanted to find him, but his mother kept stopping her.

What her daughter desires, how could she not know? Yet if Ye Liuyun cannot come to the Main Institute, it would only prove that their fates are limited, and the two could never end up together.

Now, Ye Liuyun has spent only a year to rise from the Body Refining realm to the Sea Transformation realm, even catching up with his own daughter; not only did he enter the Main Institute, he also became a disciple of the Grand Elder.

The Grand Elder is a pillar of the Main Institute. The disciples he takes cannot be mediocre! Moreover, seeing how attentive the Grand Elder is toward Ye Liuyun shows he holds Ye in high regard.

Thus Chu Wanqing no longer opposes her daughter's association with Ye Liuyun. Yet now she isn't worried about Ye Liuyun; she worries about her own daughter instead.

She then told Lin Xueying, "You have half a month; if your realm doesn't advance one level and your Soul Master rank doesn't reach Tier 4, you may not accompany Ye Liuyun, lest you hold him back."

"Ah!" Lin Xueying cried in distress, but this time Chu Wanqing's attitude was resolute.

After entering the Red Soul Cave, Ye Liuyun activated his Golden Pupil and proceeded inside cautiously.

The cave seemed to consist of a single long passage, its end invisible even to his Golden Pupil. Inside, only faint Demon Qi drifted, yet there was nothing else.

While Ye Liuyun was puzzled, he suddenly saw a clump of Demon Qi coalesce into a blue‑faced, fang‑bearing creature covered in scales, lunging at him with claws outstretched.

Ye Liuyun immediately threw a punch, but unexpectedly the fist passed straight through the demon's body and struck the cave wall, while the demon's head surged directly into his Sea of Consciousness.

The Ten Thousand Gods Command instantly annihilated that soul demon, turning it into nourishment that replenished Ye Liuyun's Soul.

"So they're all in soul form!" Ye Liuyun realized that the demons were soul‑form creatures. He stopped attacking and simply endured them.

Since the Ten Thousand Gods Command can let him absorb them directly, things will be much easier for him in the future.

As the Demon Qi grew denser, more soul demons emerged, constantly charging at Ye Liuyun, only to become nourishment for his Soul.

Ye Liuyun found it odd. This place can indeed strengthen his Soul, but it hardly counts as true training.

A vague feeling told him this was far from simple, so he proceeded with extra caution, advancing step by step.

Sure enough, later appearing souls wielded weapons to attack him, rather than merely rushing into his Sea of Consciousness to be absorbed.

Ye Liuyun likewise employed the Illusion Eye Technique, Thunder‑Fire Heaven‑Burning and other moves to eliminate those souls.

Subsequently, the cave filled with ever more soul demons: some used illusion, some attacked with weapons, some plunged straight into his Sea of Consciousness, overwhelming Ye Liuyun.

He was forced to marshal all his abilities in strict formation, even summoning six hundred soul swords to block before him.

Though weary from the onslaught, Ye Liuyun felt exhilarated. All his various soul techniques were being honed here. He observed his opponents' Spiritual Soul Attacks while refining his own.

The spot where Ye Liuyun stood resembled a vast expanse. A soul demon a hundred zhang tall was slowly taking shape as Demon Qi gathered.

Thousands upon thousands of demons roared and charged at Ye Liuyun.

Seeing the dense swarm of demons, Ye Liuyun's scalp tingled.

He suddenly recalled the Da Yan Soul Technique's transformation function, and turned the six hundred soul swords before him into six hundred golden‑armored soldiers to block his front.

Around him, familiar faces kept appearing, tempting and interrupting him; even the surroundings constantly shifted. He had to continually contend with such illusion interference.

With a "puff" sound, Ye Liuyun spat out a mouthful of blood.

It was the backlash caused by his Soul being annihilated.

"Not enough golden‑armored soul soldiers, and they're still not strong enough!" he thought, instantly converting more potent Divine Sense into golden‑armored warriors.

In one breath, Ye Liuyun transformed three thousand golden‑armored soldiers. These souls, untempered by Thunder‑Fire, were relatively weaker, but combined with the previously stronger ones they barely kept him from being disturbed by lower‑grade soul demons.

At the same time, Ye Liuyun forged another two thousand soul swords, further tempering them with Thunder‑Fire within his Sea of Consciousness.

The giant demon opposite him, now fully formed, glanced at the battlefield and drew a Demon Slaying Sword, slashing toward Ye Liuyun.

Ye Liuyun immediately employed Thunder‑Fire Heaven‑Burning to clash with it. After a single exchange, his complexion turned pallid.

The demon's single‑stroke force was overwhelming; he was no match. He glanced at the giant demon, saw it raise the blade again to strike.

A sudden thought sparked. A golden‑armored warrior on the ground, radiant with Thunder‑Fire, transformed into a Demon Slaying Sword and flew back into Ye Liuyun's hand.

"Kill!"

Ye Liuyun roared, raised his hand, and slashed at the giant demon.

With a booming crash, Ye Liuyun spat blood and stepped back, yet an unquenchable fighting spirit ignited within his Golden Pupil.

Then he swung another slash, blade after blade, the sword's intent gradually merging into his Soul.

Suddenly, Ye Liuyun's Soul erupted with a fierce domineering aura. At that moment he resembled a tyrant, gazing down on countless demons as he cleaved with a single slash.

That slash caused countless demons to wail and tremble; even the giant demon's fierce eyes widened as it raised its blade with all its might to block.

A "puff‑zz" tearing sound rang out, and the giant demon was ripped cleanly in two.

It tried to restore its body using Demon Qi, but the blade's intent lingered, and only when its two halves turned back into drifting Demon Qi did it disperse.

Prompted thus, thousands of golden‑armored warriors raised their swords together, slashing at the opposing demons; in an instant, Demon Qi scattered, cloaking the battlefield in darkness.

The Ten Thousand Gods Command seized the opportunity to greedily absorb the scattered Soul energy, feeding it back to Ye Liuyun.

When the Demon Qi finally cleared, Ye Liuyun found that no enemy remained before him.